Carolina Soccer Team Sold by Firm Tied to FIFA Scandal

The Carolina RailHawks of the North American Soccer League have been sold to Stephen N. Malik, a local businessman.Credit
Travis Dove for The New York Times

A second-division soccer team with ties to the global FIFA scandal has cut them. The Carolina RailHawks, a North Carolina team that plays in the North American Soccer League, announced on Friday that it was under new ownership.

The RailHawks were previously owned by Traffic Sports USA, a marketing firm headquartered in Miami that pleaded guilty in May to wire fraud conspiracy in United States District Court in connection with the global scandal in world soccer. That same month, the United States announced similar criminal charges against Traffic’s owner, José Hawilla, and president, Aaron Davidson.

Both men were accused of paying bribes to global soccer officials to secure lucrative marketing rights to soccer tournaments. Mr. Hawilla pleaded guilty along with Traffic, while Mr. Davidson pleaded not guilty and is out on bail and under…